


Comfort In Grief

by spoilmesweetie (seattlegracegirl)



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 08:13:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7566808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seattlegracegirl/pseuds/spoilmesweetie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shot with a distinct Patsy/Delia flavour.  In the immediate aftermath of losing one of their own, the inhabitants of Nonnatus house find comfort and support in each other, coming together as the family they are.</p><p>Apologies for the vague and awful summary - they are not my forte!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort In Grief

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into this fandom, and posting here on AO3 so I'm still very much finding my feet. 
> 
> Any comments and criticisms and corrections are welcome!

As Barbara’s sobs finally subsided, the collective occupants of Nonnatus House silently agreed that it was time to move to more comfortable surroundings, and migrated to the parlour, where they were joined by the nuns following them tending to their falling sister, preparing her to move on. It was highly unusual that all the occupants of the house were in the same room apart from meal times, so it quickly became evident that there were not enough seats. Without being asked, Patsy and Delia moved themselves from the sofa, moving to sit on the floor and offer their seats to the older members of the household. Instead, they sat beside each other on the floor, their backs against the sofa. In their grief, they found a small shred of comfort in the fact that for once, they did not have to keep a friendly foot of space between them, and were free, as the other occupants in the room were, to huddle close, their arms and legs touching along their length where they leant together. For once, Patsy lets her barriers down, not completely, but enough that their mere touching in public didn’t bring on palpitations.

Leaning her head on Delia’s shoulder, Patsy lets her tears silently fall. She would miss Sister Evangelina terribly. Yes, could be harsh, but only because she cared. She had only ever treated Patsy with respect, welcoming her to Nonnatus House and providing a source of entertainment, wisdom and comfort as long as she had resided there.  
She looked around the room, taking in the solemn, tear-streaked faces of her Nonnatus family. Because that’s what they were – her family. She had lost the one related by blood long ago, but these people had taken her to their hearts, and she had taken them to her own. 

She saw Trixie struggling to keep Barbara upright, the young woman having fallen asleep, her tears still evident on her face. After moving from the stairs to the parlour, the young woman had attached herself to Trixie, the blonde offering what comfort she could while grieving herself.

Without a word, Patsy caught Trixie’s eye and rose to her feet, and together they gently manoeuvring the slumbering woman until she was able to lift her in her strong arms. As she made for the stairs, she was joined by Trixie. “I’ll stay with her tonight,” she sniffed. 

Trixie lifted the sheets as Patsy laid down an exhausted Barbara. Tucking the young woman in, Trixie perched on the edge of her bed. “I still can’t believe it.”

“Neither can any of us,” said Patsy, laying a hand on Trixie’s shoulder. “It’s just not going to be the same, is it?”

Trixie shook her head, fresh tears gathering in her eyes. “Maybe you could take up the mantle of head time-keeper and all round busy-body,” she said in an attempt at a joke.

“I may have large feet, Trixie, but I could never fill those shoes,” the red head admitted sadly. 

The blonde managed a small smile. “I hope you don’t mind Nurse Crane taking my bed tonight,” she said quietly. “She offered earlier when Barbara attached herself to me.”

Patsy shook her head. “Of course not.” It really didn’t matter to her who she shared a room with tonight. It wouldn’t be who she truly wanted it to be, anyway. With a final sad smile, Patsy left the room, descending once more to the parlour. 

“Thank you, Patience,” said Sister Julienne has she entered the room once more, foregoing the use of the more formal ‘Nurse Mount’ for once. 

Patsy nodded her acknowledgement of the thanks before settling back down beside Delia. 

Time seemed to have ground to a halt, the other members of the Nonnatus family loathe to retreat to the isolation of their own rooms. Instead, they passed the time by quietly sharing memories of their fallen sister. 

Slowly, the lateness of the hour coupled with the grief took it’s toll. Sister Julienne gently led Sister Monica Joan off to bed first, her arm around the older woman’s shoulders. The two may have butted heads, but under it all, they were truly fond of each other. 

Sister Mary Cynthia and Sister Winifred followed soon after, leaving Nurse Crane, Patsy and Delia bathed in the gentle glow form the television. The shows had long since ended, but the gentle white noise was somehow soothing. 

Nurse Crane sighed as she turned the last page of the book of poetry Sister Evangelina had been reading last with a sad smile. She was a true sentimental at heart. The book was one of Sister Monica Joan’s favourites too. She placed the book down on the arm of the chair, her gaze moving to take in the other occupants in the room.

Both had fallen asleep, Delia’s head on Patsy’s shoulder, and the red head’s head resting atop the younger woman’s. In sleep, they had unconsciously curled towards each other, their hands loosely joined between them, finding silent comfort in each other’s touch. Phyllis smiled gently at the pair, finding a simple happiness in the fact that amongst so much despair, they had found a small sliver of contentment, even if it had to be snatched in secret moments. 

She knew that what was between the pair went beyond simple friendship, but she didn’t judge. She had been a nurse long enough to know that happiness could be found in a variety of places, and that life threw enough tragedy and despair at each life that when a glimmer of that happiness could be found, it should be grabbed with both hands and held on to as dearly as life itself. 

Pushing herself to her feet, she made her way to over to the sleeping pair, crouching down to their level before laying a hand on Patsy’s shoulder and giving a gentle shake. She watched as the red head’s eyes opened sleepily, before widening with terror as she realised the position she had been found in. She made to jump up and made her excuses, but was halted by a firm hand on her shoulder and a raised eyebrow from the older woman. Delia remained sleeping, her head on Patsy’s shoulder.

“You have nothing to fear from me,” said Phyllis plainly. “Now, as you’re aware, Nurse Franklin is taking my bed tonight, meaning I am in hers. If, however, you weren’t to be in yours, I give you my word that no one would be any the wiser, and I would wake you in plenty time for your shift tomorrow.”

Fresh tears gathered in Patsy’s eyes at the understanding in the older woman’s gaze, and her gentle smile. “Thank you.”

“We all deserve someone, Nurse Mount,” she said quietly, her tone warm. “And after all that you two have been through, you deserve it more than most.” She pushed herself back to her feet. “Goodnight, Patience,” she added with a quirk of her lips.

“Goodnight, Phyllis,” she replied, her words rousing Delia, who unconsciously nuzzled into her before blinking slowly awake.

The brunette took a few moments to come to, but when she did, she jerked upright, her hands quickly retreating to her lap. 

Patsy leant across and cupped her cheek gently. “It’s just you and me Deels, everyone else is in bed.” She smiled as the brunette softened, leaning into her touch. “Time for bed for us too, I think, Nurse Busby,” the redhead smiled gently. “It may feel like the world has stopped turning, but there are still shifts to be attended in the morning.”

Delia’s smile faded at the thought of leaving Patsy to retreat to her own room. 

“Come on,” said the red head, getting to her feet, and offering her hand. “I’ll even let you be big spoon.”

The young Welshwoman’s eyes widened in disbelief at her girlfriend’s bold words. 

Pulling the brunette to her, she dropped her voice, speaking close the Delia’s ear. “It would appear that Nurse Crane is rather observant, and rather less judgemental than her demeanour would perhaps lead us to believe. ‘Everyone deserves someone’ in her words.”

“She knows?” asked Delia, by now used to deciphering the red head’s often cryptic and verbose language. 

“And she’s offered to cover for me in the morning,” added Patsy with a small smile, speaking plainly this time.  
Delia looked up at her with such love in her eyes. She had been exhausted earlier, as she often was these days, and as uncomfortable as she'd been on the wooden floor she didn’t want to leave Patsy alone. She had lost so much, and didn’t deserve to have to face the long wait till morning in her small bed with only her thoughts for company. She knew from their hushed talks, in the moments when Patsy had opened up to her, that it was the nights when it would all come back to her. All the things she would push from her mind, and be too busy during the day to have time to spare a moment for would creep back in in the quiet moments before sleep, and invade her dreams, turning them to nightmares. Now, at least, however, she would have the chance to hold her through the night, and soothe those nightmares away. “Come on then, cariad,” she smiled, gently squeezing the hand in hers. “It would appear to be our bedtime.”


End file.
